The Truth
by SerrasAngel
Summary: Paily Army prompt for one shot, Paige finds out about Ali from Spencer. Paige thinks back to her 'pigskin' days; Emily comforts her and let's her know she loves her still regardless of Ali returning (maybe have Emily actually apologize..)


Spencer spotted Paige from down the hall and sped up to make sure she could catch the other girl. As she approached, she could see Paige just looked happy. Spencer couldn't help but be confused just a little when she thought Emily already told Paige about Alison being back and wanting their help to come home. Stopping in view but behind Paige's locker, Spencer cleared her throat but didn't speak. Her mind was racing on what she could say, but she knew if Emily wasn't going to say something, she was.

Paige looked up from her backpack, "Hi?"

They both locked eyes and Spencer didn't want to keep her mouth shut any longer. "Hey. Can you meet me after school. I want to talk to you but, can't do it here ok?"

"Uh….." Paige looked around puzzled before giving Spencer a quizzical look. "Why can't we do it here?"

Spencer moved so she was on the other side of the locker and Paige turned to face her. "I have some stuff I want to talk to you about. I can't do it here. The walls have ears." Shifting her eyes some she looked around Paige and saw Hanna coming down the hall. "Meet me out back after. I'll wait for you."

She walked away and linked arms with Hanna and walked off to their class.

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Paige wasn't sure if she wanted to trust what Spencer did earlier. She knew that whatever Spencer wanted to tell her, Emily could fill her in on. Unless…..Emily didn't want her to know. That thought almost made Paige shudder after all they had been through. Checking both ways before she stepped out of the back doors, Paige hurried to Spencer's SUV and got in.

"Alright, I'm here. Spill it." Paige liked Spencer enough, but not enough to act like best friends with her.

"Geeze. Seat belt. I'm taking you home remember?" Spencer wasn't offended but they did have a silent understanding of each other.

"You really don't have to. We can just go talk and you can bring me back. It's alright." Paige still felt a little awkward around Emily's friends alone. Even the understanding she had with Spencer didn't stop her from keeping her guard up just a little.

Spencer just gave Paige a look that told Paige it wasn't up for discussion and it was settled. "Ok, sooo…..How have Emily and you been lately?" She glanced sideways at Paige as she pulled out of the school parking lot towards Paige's house.

"Good…..great really. Why are you asking?" Paige could tell this whole production wasn't just to inquire about her relationship with Emily, but she honestly had no idea what to think right now.

Sucking on her bottom lip Spencer drove for a couple minutes in silence so as to think of how to say what she wanted to say now that she was in the thick of the moment. Pulling off onto a side road and putting the SUV into park before turning to Paige. "I wanted to warn you. I know Emily hasn't."

Spencer had her serious actual protection voice on that Paige had heard in defence of her best friend more than once. What she'd never heard was that voice directed at her for her own sake. "Spencer? You're kinda freaking me out right now. The back road, getting me alone…..Are you trying to come on to me?" Paige was trying to lighten the mood some because Spencer would only do this for a huge reason. If Emily was keeping it from her how was she supposed to feel in the end?

Spencer groaned. "Paige, come on. This really is something you need to know. Uh…" Spencer trailed off for a moment. "Alison's alive."

Paige felt her head start to swim. Had she just heard Spencer right? There was no way. "No. Alison's dead." Paige really hoped Spencer wasn't telling the truth right now.

"She's alive Paige. She wants to come home. And…..wants us to help her." Spencer could see the hurt and pain in Paige's eyes. She looked past the other girl and out the window behind her hoping to still the reaction she was having in herself about telling Paige all of this.

Paige had to grip the seat she was sitting on. Feeling like the bottom of her world had just dropped out she knew Emily would want to help. That's who she was. Catching her breath, Paige leaned forward and put her head in her hands. What was she going to do now?

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Emily let herself into Paige's house and went up to her girlfriends room. She was worried after the urgent text she got asking if she would come over. Usually they met at her house when Paige's parents were out of town. She knew something was wrong and could feel it in the house but heard it as she approached Paige's room and could hear the soft crying coming from inside.

"Paige?" Emily called out softly as she pushed the door opened.

Paige was laying on her bed, head buried in a pillow, sobbing. Emily walked quickly over to Paige and pulled her into her arms. "Baby, what's wrong? What happened?" Emily spoke into Paige's ear.

Letting go of the pillow, Paige grabbed onto Emily like she'd never see her again. She shook her head and tried to quiet her crying. A couple minutes of Emily rocking her and telling her she loves her had Paige calming down enough to speak. She pulled back and wiped her eyes avoiding Emily's.

Taking a few deep breaths before trying to speak. Saying it aloud was accepting the truth. No matter how much you wanted to say it's a lie. "Tell me it's not true. Please. Everything we have been through. Everything you know she's done to me. Done to others. How…...just tell me it's not true. Please, Emily." She felt weak, and knew it sounded weak as it came out but, she needed to hear it from the girl who held everything in her hands.

Emily didn't have to ask who. She knew. Knew from the tear stains on her plaid shirt that somehow Paige found out. All Emily had was silence right now. The silence that spoke the truth that she couldn't say out loud to Paige. A truth she's known for a couple weeks now.

Paige let out a sob at the silence Emily gave her. The confirmation she never wanted to hear. Paige looked at Emily with tears in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me? Why did I have to hear it from your best friend?"

Emily felt the guilt shoot through her. How could she let this happen? "I….." Emily wasn't sure she had words right now for the why.

Paige shook her head and gave a sarcastic laugh. "Did you mean what you said? That you were letting her go? Or was that just something you said?"

"I mean it. Paige, she was my best friend. I can't shut that part off. But….it's not the same as before. I don't love her like that. This isn't about that, Paige." Emily knew she sounded defensive but couldn't help it. "It's complicated right now. So much is happening."

Paige sat up out of Emily's grasp. "That's not a 'why' Emily."

"I don't know what you want me to say, Paige." Emily lowered her head and played with the hem of her shirt. "Ali's alive." she whispered before she let a tear fall. It wasn't for Alison being alive. It was for the fact of how much it hurt Paige to find out from someone other than her.

Paige dropped her head to her hands as she sat in front of Emily, tears streaming down her face. They sat like that for a couple minutes before Paige felt Emily's arms wrap around her waist and pull her back into her. "Baby, I love you. You should have heard this from me. I'm sorry." She kissed Paige's temple before going on. "I'm sorry all of this is happening. I won't let her hurt you, or us." Taking Paige's chin in her fingers Emily turned her so they were eye to eye before leaning in and kissing the tears from each cheek and then kissing Paige with passion.


End file.
